BritSoc ZINE Oct 2012

ZINE

#598 October 2012

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Taste Life!

Kingsalmarkt, the world-famous foodstore!

We are known for our wide range of products from countries all over the world. ‘Taste life’ is what we call that. Visit us for your favourite American cornflakes, brownies and soups, British jams and honey, Mexican tortillas, Spanish tapas and ham, Italian coffee and pasta and French cheese.

Of course you can pick up the rest of your groceries too.

Rembrandtweg 621, 1181 GV Amstelveen-noord, tel. 020 643 37 51 www.kingsalmarkt.nl info@kingsalmarkt.nl Easily reached by car (free parking) and public transport (5 or 51 tram to Kronenburg) Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9 am – 6 pm Saturday: 9 am – 5 pm

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events/ “i am not a tourist” much ado/ “in october” Pag events/ “sopranos social” art/ “le bathtub” Page 26-29 family/ “naarden” Page 30-35 history/ “france & the nethe art/ “impressionism” Page 42 family/ “viva las vegas” Page interview of the month / “o food glorious/ “plum jam” britsoc activities / “eclectic theatre / “darling, sweetie d britsoc ball/ “queen’s jubile

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”

Contents

Page 14-17

Click on colour to go to page

ge 10-11 Page 18-21

erlands”

Page 36-41

2-49

e 50-59

opera singer”

Page 60-67

Page 68-71

c britishness” Page 74-77 darling” Page 78-83 ee ball” Page 84-90

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Colophon >

MAGAZINE EDITORIAL

ISSUE # 598

EDITOR IN CHIEF Alison Smith | editor@britsoc.nl EDITORIAL BOARD Ian Cherington | ifcherington@hetnet.nl Dave Thomas | info@nstranslations.nl John Richardson | JohnTheCopywriter@me.com Stephen Huyton | shuyton@thermopatch.nl

DESIGN

MAGAZINE WRITER & DESIGNER John Richardson | JohnTheCopywriter@me.com www.johnthecopywriter.com

ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING SALES Zetterij Jan van den Berg | ieee25qr@kpnmail.nl

PUBLISHING

PUBLISHED BY John Richardson | JohnTheCopywriter.com FLIP MAGAZINE PUBLISHING PLATFORM www.issuu.com PUBLISHED ON www.wordpress.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEEDBACK Alison Smith | editor@britsoc.nl

www.britcoczine.wordpress.com www.britsoc.nl

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“

I would say Ken Dodd every He reads you like a book and can have you in stitches for 2 hours

INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH

with Ian Spencer, bass at

the Dutch National Opera Page 60

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“

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Chairman’s Blog Stephen Huyton

T

his seems to be the month for apologies so I would like to add my own with a sincere apology to all those members who did not get their on-line edition of ZINE last month. I am sorry we seem to have had a technical issue as it is commonly called. Not sure why but the mailing list seemed to have some glitch.

I hope that this has now been solved and everyone is back on line.

I must also offer a second apology with the announcement that our Bonfire Night celebrations are not going to take place this year. The key reason is that the local council has changed the rules again. At first they told us the Water Sports Centre was not available to hire. Having solved that problem we were then told we could not have the celebration on 4th November, being the closest Sunday. Instead we would have to hold it on the 11th. This clashes with the Remembrance Day and St Martins celebrations. After much consultation we concluded that to hold Bonfire Night on the 11th was a bit like having Christmas Day in January.

One other key reason is that the event has grown dramatically over recent years such that in 2011 we had nearly 600 people attending. This requires a big team of helpers. For a variety of mostly work related reasons, all the key organisers are not able to take responibility this year. In addition, whilst we have had several people offer to help with the organisation, the number of volunteers needed is significant for such a large public event and without the certainty of those helpers it would be irresponsible for us to go ahead. Mark Collinson, the Vicar of Amsterdam Christ Church best summarised the dilemma when he said, “ if you cannot be sure to match the standards achieved in previous years then stop whilst everyone has positive memories�. Therefore, with great regret, BritSoc Bonfire Night will not take place this year.

The disappointment with this news has to be set against the excellent news that the Ball is back. This year our contribution to the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations is our own Diamond Jubilee Ball to be held on 8th December. Tickets are now on sale via the web site, so I advise you to book early as they are limited. For more details check out the web site and elsewhere in ZINE. I hope to see you there. www.britsoc.nl Finally, I wish to advise that I officially plan to step down as Chairman of the Society at the AGM, a position I have held for nearly 10 years. I think that it is time for a new face at the helm. I really hope this announcement will generate some debate about how we move the Society forward.

Please let me have your thoughts.

Stephen email: chair@britsoc.nl

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much ado/ “in oct

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tober�

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Monthly event guide

Much ado

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Events in October

Autumn is turning Amsterdam a beautiful orange and amber as the days get shorter and cooler, but that just means the city packs more in. The music venues are busy with touring bands, museums fill up as people begin looking for indoor activities and intriguing festivals capture the curious. Source: www.iamsterdam.com

Africa in the Picture 19 - 28 Oct

Annual film festival Africa in the Picture takes place at SMART Project Space, promising a range of movies from Africa and beyond.

Read more »

Amsterdam Dance Event 17 - 21 Oct

As Europe’s leading electronic music conference and the world’s biggest club festival, the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is a true dance lovers’ Mecca.

Read more »

Awakenings ADE special 17 - 19 Oct

The Awakenings techno music festival returns to the Westergasfabriek for a three-night event in as part of the Amsterdam Dance Event in October 2012.

Read more »

Camera Japan 12 - 14 Oct

The largest multidisciplinary Japanese cultural festival in the Benelux, Camera Japan offers a heady mix of film, art, music, dance,...

Read more »

Alex Prager - Compulsion

Alex Prager is the winner of this year’s Foam Amsterdam Paul Huf Award, an annual prize awarded to a promising international photographer under 35... until 14 Oct Read more »

Open Studios Nieuwmarkt 6 - 7 Oct

Have you always wanted to take a peak into the lives of local Amsterdam artists? During Open Studios Nieuwmarkt, Read more »

Highlights

in October

Beyond Imagination

Some 20 artists show their vision of the border between reality and imagination.

Sep 23 - Nov11 www.stedelijk.nl

Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company

This American modern dance company performs two works over three evenings.

Oct 27 - 28 www.carre.nl

Deep Undercover; A Secret Crime Adventure Through the City.

It starts and ends at different secret locations in the city, lasts about three hours and takes in 2 km of walking. suitable for children over 12 accompanied by an adult and is not at all dangerous.

Until Nov 3. 12 noon, 12.30, 1 pm and 1.30 www.boomchicago.nl

Cello Festival

The Fourth Amsterdam Cello Biennale is gearing up to make waves in the waterfront Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ concert complex built specifically for ‘classical music in the 21st century’.

Muziekgebouw, Amsterdam, Oct 26 - Nov 3. www.amsterdamsecellobiennale.nl

Extraordinary

Unusally shaped handbags began to appear in the 19th century and the fantasy of designers kept pace with new technology.

Sept 18 - Mar 10 www.museumofbagsand purses.com

Famous Pop Stars in Amsterdam

In the 70s, Claude Vanheye was one of the most famous pop photographers in the Netherlands.

Until Nov 4 www.amsterdammuseum.nl

Petula Clark

She will turn 80 this year, and is still going strong.

Oct 11 www.carre.nl

Radiohead

The British rock band perform in the Netherlands for the first time in four years.

Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Oct 14 www.livenation.nl

Lionel Richie

The Netherlands is included in the singer’s first world tour since 2009.

Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Oct 6. www.ziggodome.nl Page 13

events/ “I am not

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a tourist�

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Join BritSoc

at the ‘i am not a tourist’

expat fair

Evelyn liu

Sunday 7th October at the Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam.

The “i am not a tourist” Expat Fair at the Beurs van Berlage in the heart of Amsterdam serves the international community living, working and studying in the Netherlands and has become an annual institution, catering for newly arrived expats, long-standing residents, individuals and families alike.

Those new to the Netherlands will

benefit from a comprehensive range of services, conveniently housed together under one roof. Topics include housing, employment, banking, tax and schooling, all running alongside an entertaining programme of performances and workshops.

More experienced expats and long standing residents can enjoy food, entertainment, networking sessions, informative workshops and access to a wide range of groups and clubs. What’s more, international artist Jim Collier will exhibit his work. Professional visitors, concerned with international mobility, should not miss the chance to network amongst this years largest gathering of industry professionals.

Whether you are new to the expat lifestyle or an old hand, Expatica’s fair

is about easing and enriching your life abroad, providing instant access to the international community.You don’t have to take our word for it; here are testimonials from a visitor and an exhibitor: Nicola McCall (visitor) “I hadn’t been to the fair for 5 years; I saw some familiar and some new faces and enjoyed the talks. It’s a great event and was busy even on the sunniest date I can remember! I think it actually re-energises a lot of us, stay put expats, when we meet others in similar situations, even if we’ve been around the Netherlands for a long time. For me, it was a ‘look how far I’ve moved on from when I first came moment’?”

Expat Mortgages, Henk (exhibitor) “Thanks for a great fair and for all you hard work and efforts! It was our third attendance and we’re very pleased again!”

See video: http://www.expatica.com/iamnotatourist/

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events/ event/ We’re looking for volunteers to help on the BritSoc stand.

Contact: chair@britsoc.nl

By Abartitur Page 17

events/ “Sopranos

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s Social�

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Social Fridays Fr

| @SOPRANOS 21

Friday 12th October

For October we are meeting on the 2nd Friday in the month instead.

Jansenare still able to join us.

HopeSeanyou Page 20

rom 1:00

|

events/ Venue: Paardenstraat 11HS, 1017 CXÂ Amsterdam (near Rembrandtplein) Trams: 4, 9 and 14.

Tramstop: Rembrandtplein Contact: Tracy Taylor Email: socialfridays@hotmail.com

This new venue has a great lounge vibe to it

It feels like a secret discovered when inside.

Later in the evening there is a pianist and the bar is known for its great cocktails.

Look out for us near the bar wearing bright pink scarves. We will also be joining our Social Friday event with the Spanish Society - Social event.

Social Fridays is a great opportunity to meet new people or catch up with friends - all welcome. No attendance list, so just show up!

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ads/ “Between a roc

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ck and a hard place�

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john entwistle

stevie nicks

halloween party

Wednesday 31st October 21.00 till late, best costume prize €250

lil’ witches and monsters ball

Sunday 28th October 11.00am - 12.30pm, trick or treating, games and more for reservations call +31 (0) 20 5237611 or email amsterdam _ sales1@hardrock.com

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COMING UP AT THE HARD ROCK CAFE October - Halloween Events Lil Witches & Monster’s Ball Halloween at Hard Rock Amsterdam Trick or Trean ames and more Sunday 28th of October 11:00-12:30 Halloween Party at Hard Rock Amsterdam Come in your best Halloween Costume for the chance to win €250 Wednesday 31st of October 21:00pm

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art/ “Le Bathtub”

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John Richardson

Forget London’s Tate Modern, Bilbao’s Guggenheim and Paris’s Pompidou Centre, we’ve got...

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art/

...Le Bathtub Grab your towels, an urn of Cleopatra-white milk and let’s soak up some modern art.

After an eight-year renovation full of drama, including a three-year delay, a bankrupt construction company, a budget exceeding millions of euros, the Stedelijk Museum has now been finally opened by Queen Beatrix on Sept 23, 2012.

Le Bathtub, I’m told, is made from a bullet-proof composite of carbon and twaron tiber normally used in the boat or aerospace industry—a Dutch invention five times stronger than steel. With its sloping sides and white legs, the extension’s seamless 3,000 square metre (32,000 square foot) surface is the largest composite building in the world.

Once in I quickly found the escalator. Now this really is a work of art. A tunnel of white light descending into the soul of the Stedelijk.

The first exhibition out of the tap is ‘Beyond Imagination’ featuring young artists from as far away as Japan and Lithuania and have at some point studied or been part of residency programmes in the Netherlands.

Modern art allows us all to agree to disagree.

What we don’t want is to allow multi-cultural art to be shown in galleries, but no tolerance to be shown on our streets.

The Stedelijk is proud of the controversy it has caused over the years. I like the way the “Beyond Imagination” exhibition is a subtle dig at the rising anti-immigrant politics in the Netherlands, and throughout the world.

If nothing else, great modern art mirrors the beauty of diversity. Which is controversial by its very nature.

Would it, should it, have made any difference if Rembrandt was Turkish, Van Gogh was Indonesian, Vermeer was Moroccan, Escher was Surinamese…?

The Stedelijk modern art museum runs its first controversial bath Page 29

family/ “Naarden”

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NAAR

where a fort comes a

Dave Thomas

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RDEN

family/

alive

Naarden is an old fortified town about 20 kilometres east of Amsterdam with a unique double moat and complex system of ramparts.

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family/ Naarden: where a fort comes alive Naarden is an old fortified town about 20 kilometres east of Amsterdam with a unique double moat and complex system of ramparts.

At the Fortification Museum (Vestingsmuseum) you can tour the ramparts and bunkers to discover the town’s traumatic history and learn how the Dutch used water to defend their land.

If your children can sit for long enough then start your visit in the video room where you can watch two excellent films in English (both about 15 minutes long).

One tells you about the history of Naarden and how its fortifications were developed.

It includes an explanation of how the gunpowder was prepared for the canons and how a canon is fired. The other film explains the history of the water line defences in the Netherlands from the Golden Age until the Cold War and how these have shaped the Dutch landscape.

The displays in the various bunkers cover three themes: garrison life, the history of Naarden, and the water lines.

Unfortunately, all of the information on the water lines is in Dutch. The history of Naarden provides an explanation of how

fortified towns developed and the science of building fortresses (brief English summaries are given). However, the best section is the display on garrison life with scenes using mannequins and lots of original objects from the period.

You can also walk down the listening tunnel, which the soldiers used to patrol so they could hear if enemy boats were trying to cross the moat at night.

In the afternoon you can go on the museum boat around the fortified old town with a guide. Alternatively, while you drink a cup of coffee at the museum cafe the children can fire water rockets from mini canons.

When you have finished at the museum, do take time to wander through Naarden.

The old church in the centre of town has a stunning painted wooden vault. If you go inside then ask one of the guides to tell you about the St Christopher they forgot to remove during the reformation.

You can also learn more about one of the fathers of modern education, Comenius at the Comenius Museum Mausoleum (English film for visitors but the rest is in Dutch or Czech) or take a peek inside the medieval town hall.

Dave Thomas Visitor’s info Naarden: www.infonaarden.nl/1277/Home Fortification Museum: www.vestingmuseum.nl Comenius Museum Mausoleum: www.comeniusmuseum.nl (Dutch and Czech)

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history/ “France &

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& Netherlands�

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How France shaped the Netherlands

Dave Thomas

Museum Van Loon

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history/

King Louis Napoleon in the Royal Palace Amsterdam Page 39

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history/ How France shaped the Netherlands King Louis Napoleon in the Royal Palace Amsterdam His reign lasted just four years but his impact in the Netherlands is still felt today. Louis Napoleon was King of the Netherlands from 1806 to 1810 and used the Royal Palace from 1808 onwards.

You start in the stunning main central chamber with its highly ornate walls and three world maps portrayed on the tiled floor. The route takes you past the various palace rooms. The decor gives a fine impression of the best in French interior design from the period with some of the chairs highlighted in a separate exhibit.

Although the rooms are poignant, Louis Napoleon’s considerable achievements during his short reign impressed me far more. He radically transformed criminal law and drastically reduced the number of capital offences.

The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Rijksmuseum owe their existence to him and he also introduced the forerunner of the current Dutch Education Inspectorate.

Prince Willem Alexander is not the first Dutch Royal with a keen interest in water management.

Louis introduced sweeping changes following the devastating flood in the Betuwe in 1809. He was also the first royal to personally role up his sleeves and help his subjects when disaster struck, as it did in Leiden in 1807 when a gunpowder ship exploded. Yet despite these efforts he was considered at the time to be rather lame and indecisive.

The video documentaries and various exhibits tell more of his achievements but also his impulsiveness (he had the Weighing House on the Dam demolished as it spoiled the view).

Just like royalty the exhibition is somewhat aloof, as you cannot actually enter many of the rooms (you look in though the doorway) and exhibits are ‘glassed off’.

A more intimate feel of the former privileged classes can, however, be obtained at Museum Van Loon: A fine regent family home that still evokes the splendour of the golden age. Here you can walk over carpets without plastic covers and take a close look at the ‘normal’ beds.

The jewel in the crown though is the ornate garden between the home and the adjoining coach house where you can drink tea or coffee and bask in an oasis of silence.

Dave Thomas

Palace on the Dam (www.paleisamsterdam.nl/en/programme/exhibitions/now) Museum van Loon (www.museumvanloon.nl/eng/home) Page 41

art/ “Impressionism

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m”

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art/ IMPRESSIONISM:

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hermitage amsterdam

Until 13 January 2013

sensation and inspiration

Dave Thomas

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art/

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art/

Impressionism:

sensation and inspiration Impressionism owes its existence to the humble metal paint tube. Without its invention in 1841 artists could not have taken their easels outside to make quick light brush strokes to capture the moment. Paintings like Woman in a Garden (Monet, ca. 1866) might simply not have happened.

Beautiful art lesson If you want to discover more about this major movement in art then “Impressionism: sensation and inspiration” is a beautifully illustrated lesson. And for the connoisseur, several gems from the Hermitage in St Petersburg are exhibited such as Renoir’s Portrait of the Actress Jeanne Samary (1883).

The story unfurls A wall with a brief chronological history of impressionism marks the start of the exhibition, which is in three parts.

As you wander through various texts unfurl the story further.

Neoclassical art Part I describes the Salon (neoclassical) art that dominated Paris for most of the nineteenth century and under which impressionists struggled to gain a foothold. (Gerome’s Sale of a Slave Girl in Rome (1884) can be seen here).

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Monet’s Meadows You then move into the only large room in the exhibition (a down side of the Hermitage) where larger works such as Monet’s Meadows at Giverny (1888) are displayed. Salon art and impressionist works in the same exhibition would have been quite inconceivable a little more than a century ago.

Landscapes Moving upstairs you enter Part II, Landscapes, where Ravine in the Mountains by Gustave Dore immediately grabs your attention.

This painting captures the play of light in the Scottish Highlands so well that you feel you could almost walk into the painting and roam around in the moorland. Back in the city, Place du Théâtre Français (Pisarro, 1898) dreamily portrays the wide spaces of a new Paris realised under Napoleon

III. Impressionism had by then become the contemporary art of a modern city, although its poor practitioners often lived in nearby villages such as Montmartre, home to the Moulin Rouge.

Dave Thomas

Portaits Finally, Part III focusses on portraits.

I am left trying to reconcile Renoir’s Head of a Woman (ca. 1876) and Girl with a Fan (ca. 1881) with his famous remark: ”I have not finished with a nude until I think I can pinch her”. A recording of Debussy’s ‘Prélude a l’après’ pervades this section.

Critics now acclaim it as one of the best impressionistic compositions, whereas audiences who first heard it often asked “Are they still tuning up?”.

Cézanne and Gauguin Fittingly, in my opinion, the exhibition closes with Cézanne and Gauguin.

Cézanne’s The Smoker (ca. 1890-1892) harks back to a theme in seventeenth Century Dutch art yet it also contains hints of cubism. Gauguin’s lavish use of colour in Eü haere ia oe (Où vas-tu?).

La femme au fruit] (1883) blithely casts aside the conventions of ‘Salon art’ and paves the way for expressionism.

The exhibition runs until 13 January 2013.

The Hermitage will be particularly busy over the next few months as it is also exhibiting some of the Van Gogh Museum’s collection while that museum undergoes refurbishment. Therefore to avoid the crowds you

can best visit the Hermitage when it opens at 10.00 hours.

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family/ “Viva Las V

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Vegas�

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MAD family/

Alison Smith

viva las vegas Before I even start to write this piece, let’s get one thing clear:

I was there and gone long before Prince Harry arrived. And I had nothing to do with those naked pictures!

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D OK good to get that straight.

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viva las vegas

family/

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Alison Smith

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family/

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Alison Smith

v

a iv

s la

! as

g ve

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family/

viva las vegas I went to Las Vegas in the baking heat of July to commiserate with my big sister on her reaching a rather daunting milestone. Family loyalty, and the fact she’s bigger than me, prevent me from revealing which particular milestone we’re talking about here. Besides, as the saying goes, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, right? In our case, the fact that her husband and 12 year old daughter were with us means I can probably just about reveal everything that happened. This doesn’t mean we didn’t have a ball, we just had the sort of ball which doesn’t require an X certificate.

Vegas is MAD! They say New York is the city that never sleeps but Las Vegas is constant.

Being jetlagged, the first morning we were awake before the sun and decided to get up and start the day. We went down into the hotel to find breakfast and at 6 am not only was breakfast being served but the casino was still thriving. I expected folks to look weary and bedraggled, with that not slept all night expression, but on the contrary, these folks were washed and pressed and playing Black Jack. Kudos!

The MAD you get in 41 degrees!

The outside temperature while we were there averaged around 41 degrees.

This meant any plans to sample the hotel pools happened in the shade and before 11 am, when the shade disappeared. Our hotel had a wave pool, regular pool, huge jacuzzi and a lazy river, where you sit in rubber rings and bob your way gently, and sometimes

not so gently, around a flowing, circular pool. The not so gently parts reminded me of being in a very enlarged, but thankfully more hygenic toilet bowl…. but I always did have a vivid imagination. Trying to get my niece out of this lazy river was a bit like playing hook a duck.

Minor Inconvenience!

Being with a minor meant we were not allowed to linger and watch any of the gambling and certainly not put a dollar in a machine in her presence, lest she should become instantly addicted and afflicted for the rest of her life, only to die in poverty and debt as a direct result of seeing someone put a dollar in a slot machine. Rules are rules though and the message was “keep walking”. For us this was actually no hardship as we are not big gamblers and, having had a closer look at some of the flashing and bleeping machines, I couldn’t even figure out

Alison Smith Page 58

where to put my bleeping money. And that’s another thing. These machines are virtually cashless.

Chinka! Chinka!

You can load in your dollar bills (no coin slots any more) but if you win, you win a piece of paper with a barcode on. Not the same excitement as the old days when those coins would chink chink chink out of the machine and everyone would turn around to glare at the lucky winner with ill concealed envy. Still, apart from a couple of tries at virtual Black Jack (yes, VIRTUAL!! – no dealer, just an impossibly proportioned blonde version of Lara Croft dealing the cards on a screen) while my niece was burning my sister’s credit card in the M&M’s megastore, we didn’t venture much, but gained 30 bucks, so not bad.

MAD shopaholic experience!

You spend your days in Las Vegas wandering from huge hotel to huge hotel, all with different themes; New York, Paris, Venice, Egypt, various attractions and with the most incredible array of shops and restaurants. The scale is a little overwhelming and you clock up miles of shoe leather getting from one to another.

It’s an eyes-wide, mouth-open experience and can be a wallet opening experience very quickly as you can buy everything and anything in Vegas. It’s a shopaholic’s, foodie’s, cocktail lover’s paradise and despite all the walking, it wasn’t just my suitcase that went back heavier.

MAD enough for kids to enjoy Despite the over 21 rule it’s still a great place to visit with the family as there are places with scary rides for the kids - check out the stomach churning rides in the Stratosphere. I get vertigo just remembering what they look like!

There’s a huge shark reef aquarium at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, activities for all ages and budgets and most hotels have great pool facilities….if you can find some shade.

Madder than Monet We visited the art gallery in the Bellagio Hotel which had a small, but very interesting, collection of Monet landscapes - a real haven of culture in the middle of all the midsummer madness.

Hurry Harry let’s go back We had a ball, lots of laughs and made great memories. My sister still doesn’t look her age despite having partied her hard for 4 days. Maybe she has a portrait in the attic…..or maybe we need to go back again for my looming milestone…..and next time, maybe we’ll take Harry!

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interview of the mo

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onth / “Opera”

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interview of the month/

“

“

“This is what I’m here to do”

Ian Spencer (bass at the Dutch National Opera) on his passion for music and the La Jouissance concert Page 62

“

So how did you end up in the Dutch National Opera?

After college I did whatever came my way. A low bass voice is rare but so are the parts for it. In between assignments I did courier work and was a motorbike instructor - anything to pay the bills.

Dave Thomas

How did you get into music?

As a kid I played trombone until I was told at 15 that if I carried on playing it would kill me – my lungs couldn’t take it. My music teacher heard my low voice and persuaded me to start singing.

And next?

I started singing in a male voice choir when I was 16 although I learned to drink more than I

Ian Cherington

did to sing. After choir practice we would go down the pub where the landlord would happily ply us with beer as our singing brought the punters in.

How did you train your chords further?

My music teacher arranged some interviews with music colleges. Most would not take me as I was too young for my low bass voice to be safely >> Page 63

interview of the month/

developed – you physically need to be in your twenties to start and a bass voice matures when you’re in your forties. Trinity College in London, however, saw their chance to get a second bass ( I can sing bottom B-flat) and snapped me up. I spent my first year partying and then I was old enough for them to work on my voice. They trained me to sing without a microphone and taught me the theatrical skills you need to be an opera singer.

So how did you end up in the Dutch National Opera?

After college I did whatever came my way. A low bass voice is rare but so are the parts for it. In between assignments I did courier work and was a motorbike instructor - anything to pay the bills. On several occasions I freelanced for the Ambrosia Chorus who did the music for many films from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Their sight-reading skills were phenomenal. I remember them rehearsing a newly discovered Rossini opera one day and then recording it in the studio the next! I also worked for the English National Opera occasionally but when they auditioned me for a fulltime post I froze and couldn’t sing a note from Aida. However, my music teacher phoned me afterwards and said: Be at Covent Garden tomorrow. So I turned up relaxed thinking I didn’t stand a chance, gave it my best shot and DNO took me on. A-one year contract became fulltime and I’ve been here 27 years now! Thanks to my music teacher who spotted my gift and was willing to go the extra mile for me.

What makes the DNO so special?

Our home base, the Muziektheater, has the biggest stage in the world. We can put on productions that no one else can do in terms of effects and scenery, not even Houston. It’s wonderfully exclusive, a kick you can’t get anywhere else. Armies can march into a scene from a distance. We can set portacabins ablaze and then the safety wall drops so the show can carry on while the flames are put out. Our performances are like a portrait photographer who subtly captures the emotions but there is so much depth you can’t take it all in. On a personal level, I love being able to come in on my motorbike in the morning to do rehearsals, a few hours off in the afternoon (when I often play tennis with my wife Carole) and then a performance in the evening. I enjoy my work but I do not live to work. Life here is relaxed.

What is the funniest moment in your career to date?

I played Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar and my flowing costume got caught on a nail as I came down the stairs . I was awkwardly suspended between steps, carried on singing and hoped that someone would save me from my predicament.

An opera singer in a musical?

People often have the idea that opera is something special – only for the elite. Nothing could be further from the truth. When I first came to Amsterdam I can remember all types coming to the opera. It was heavily subsidised and people could afford to try it out. Opera simply suits my low voice, whereas musicals have more baritone parts. But remember that Puccini merely did in his era what Lloyd Webber does today.

Are the best singers the most gifted or the ones who are gifted and practice the most?

I am definitely blessed with a low voice, but more importantly the desire to sing. When I was at college I can remember performing a piece and being completely in the role. At the end it dawned on me: “That is what I’m here for”. And that passion is what motivates me now: bringing a piece to life and seeing that this does something to the audience. Good music grabs you. So desire first and then practice.

Do you ever feel the urge to get away from music?

No it’s part of my life. At work it’s opera or the odd musical, when I’m out I enjoy going to concerts – I’d love to see Pink Floyd reform and do Dark side of the Moon – and at home its Radio 2 (easy listening).

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>>

“

Good music grabs you.

The concert is like a menu from Jamie Oliver. I’d love to see Pink Floyd reform and do Dark side of the Moon live.

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interview of the month/

Is that wide taste reflected in the concert on 13 October?

Definitely. We cover 200 years of the French Romantic era. Poulenc’s sextet contains a wide range of emotions yet somehow remains coherent. We’ve got The Gendarmes from Offenbach and we’re also performing some well-loved songs from Les Miserables. In terms of food, the concert is like a menu from Jamie Oliver.

Lots of things you like and a few different dishes to tempt the palate.

How do you go about putting together such a programme?

You need to strike a balance. It’s important to find things in the right key so that you don’t upset the musical stomach. And you must not overdo it. Too much silky chocolate pudding is not good for you.

That’s why, for example, I’m singing Stars from Les Miserables after a tenor has sung a few French songs. My wife Carole often adapts pieces to allow for the range of the different voices and instruments.

That’s great because I can then sing stuff I could never do at work. Nobody wants to sing a duet with a second bass as they cannot balance my lower voice. But in these concerts I can move up to baritone and then it works. Each concert we put on is a musical adventure. And, of course, the tricky part is the finale. Finding a piece that uses all of the instruments and voices you’ve heard throughout the concert.

delight in music. His face beams when he conducts. I’d like to perform Tosca under him as he would subtly bring all of the rich emotions in the story to life. Finally, since playing Caiaphas I’ve always wondered exactly how Andrew Lloyd Webber would interpret his own piece and so I’d like to do Jesus Christ Superstar with him conducting.

And which performer do you like outside of music?

Surprisingly Ken Dodd when he does a live show. I went the first time to please my aunt and I went twice again. He spends the first half hour working the audience, sussing them out. Then he just goes non-stop for two more hours. By the end of the show you’re laughing so much and on such a high he could read you the telephone book and have you in tears!

Finally, which piece of music describes Amsterdam the best?

Ronnie Hilton singing ‘Windmill in Old Amsterdam’ (I saw A Mouse). It reminds me of my own mouse problem when I first moved to Amsterdam. I was shocked how easy it is to buy mouse poison here – unthinkable back at home. But then here there aren’t railings along the canals: don’t park too near the edge is the simple answer. And that approach to life suits me just fine!

Does performing with friends give the concert an extra dimension?

Practising with friends is fun but once I am singing I am in the role I’m performing so it makes little difference for the audience.

But the setting for the concerts is special.

An old church bang in the middle of Amsterdam with a fabulous piano.

As a singer, who would you most like to perform with and why?

Simon Rattle has an amazing knack for firing your enthusiasm. I’d like to perform Belshazzar’s feast with him. It’s a diverse piece with hints of jazz and pop and some beautiful bass solos. Secondly DNO’s conductor Marc Albrecht has a real Page 67

food glorious/ “Plu

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um Jam�

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Plum Jam with Rosewater Karen Vivers

I come from a family of jam makers. Actually a family of bakers, jam, chutney, ketchup and pickle makers. Mainly due to the fact that we all had huge gardens that produced vast amounts of fruit and vegetables each year.

The garden produced so much more than we could eat, and believe me, we did our best! Not only are my family keen cooks and bakers, we are all very keen eaters.

Even our neighbours, extended family and friends couldn’t seem to put a dent in the quantity of produce that sprouted seemingly uncontrollably from the soil each year. So, preserving seemed like the obvious option.

Every autumn our small family kitchen turned into nothing short of a preserving factory. Pans of bubbling fruit, bags and bags of preserving sugar, spices, rows upon rows of sterilized glass jars waiting on every available surface to receive their appointed preserve.

Jam mixes tied in muslin cloth, tied over broom handles suspended over yet more pots and pans, to drain the jams to make jellies. It was a fun and frenzied time of year. Beating the clock to get the fruit and vegetables at their best and keeping all that summer flavour in little jars so that we could enjoy it in the depths of winter (well, if it lasted that long, remember, we are all keen eaters!)

Our family favourites were rhubarb jam (with ginger for some family members, without for others!) and bramble jam (in England, brambles are called blackberries). The great thing about the ingredients for these 2 jams were that they were absolutely free!

Around the mid/end of September in the west coast of Scotland it seems that the whole of nature is sprouting brambles. The children in

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our family were sent out with plastic shopping bags to fill them with brambles, which we did, as well of course as filling our stomachs! The same went for rhubarb, although this task always seemed to fall to my grandad, who appointed himself the rhubarb expert. I think it was because he didn’t trust us kids not to pick the poisonous variety!

Now, living in Amsterdam, these products are not so available. Well, they are, but they cost a fortune, certainly too expensive to make jam from. I suppose, I am a bit of a Scot on that front, not mean, you understand, but just thrifty.

To me the whole point of making jam is to use and preserve plentiful, ripe fruit. So, now, I have adjusted those old recipes to suit my location and the produce on offer.

One of my new year’s food resolutions this year was to get down to making some jam, which I have, and one of my latest creations is this recipe for plum jam. I have made it with less sugar than many jam recipes and have added the exotic aroma of rose water which goes really well with the plum and adds an exciting extra dimension.

Maybe it’s because I have been revisiting this ancient skill of preserving, but all of a sudden it seems that it is having a bit of a resurgence.

For me though, it’s never about trends and what others are doing, but what I enjoy cooking and eating. There is something very satisfying and comforting about making jam.

There is something very pleasing about eating your own jam on some crusty French style bread. Most of all though, I love being able to carry on a family tradition of making these preserves and more importantly giving them away for family and friends to enjoy.

food glorious/ Karen Vivers, originally from Scotland, has lived here in Amsterdam for more than 12 years, and has set up the Cooking Coach to help inspire people to get back into the kitchen. The basis of the cooking lessons are easy, tasty, healthy recipes. Each course starts with a free introduction session, to make sure that you only cook what you like to eat.

As well as cooking lessons, Karen offers Culinary Tours in Amsterdam, is a passionate Food Blogger and works freelance as a Culinary Consultant, specialising in small and medium businesses, helping them get started, grow and deal with commercial challenges.

Method 1. Place the plums in the pan and heat gently until they become soft. May take about 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Add the sugar and lemon juice, stir until the sugar has melted.

3. Then boil rapidly (but making sure the mix doesn’t stick or burn) for about 20 minutes then add the rosewater and boil for another few minutes or until setting point is reached. You can check for the setting point by spooning out one dessert spoon of the liquid, pour it onto your plate, let it cool and push it back with a spoon. If the mix wrinkles it will set, if not and it stays runny, let it boil some more and repeat your setting point check until you get the desired wrinkling effect.

4. Spoon into jars, remove the spoons, cool and cover.

Ingredients 800gr ripe plums (stoned and halved, keep the skin on) 450gr of jam sugar (often called “special sugar”) 2 x tbsp lemon juice 4 x tbsp rosewater (optional) Equipment 1 x large heavy bottomed pan to make the jam in.

1 x wooden spoon to mix the jam.

1 x side plate to test for setting point.

1 x metal dessert spoon to test for setting point.

1 x large metal spoon to remove impurities and to spoon the jam into jars 1 x small bowl to collect any impurities.

A Jam Funnel (optional) Sterilized jam jars and lids A metal dessert spoon in each jar to help conduct the heat from the glass to prevent cracks.

Tips and notes It is very important that you do not taste or allow the jam to touch your skin while it boils or before it is cool.

Boiling sugar is very dangerous and sticks to your skin, giving very serious and painful burns.

It is a good idea to use a pan that holds the mixture with lots of space left as you don’t want the mix splashing out of the pan.

You may notice that some scum appears as you are boiling the mix. To give a clearer jam, you can just skim this off and discard as you go along.

There are also lots of technical ways to check for setting points with thermometers, but I like to use this tried and tested family method. It has worked for generations, so who am I to argue?

The special sugar is just granulated sugar, but contains some pectin. Pectin is a naturally occurring element in some fruits and helps the jam set. Some fruits have more pectin than others. I find using special sugar is the easiest way to guarantee a good set.

If the plums are not very ripe, add a little water (about 2 tbsp) at step one, just so they don’t stick to the pan.

I always put the metal spoons in my jars, just because all the jam makers in my family did it – you can try it without, maybe the quality of the jars are better these days and they won’t crack.

The Cooking Coach Love Food, Live Healthy www.thecookingcoach.eu Mobile : 06 1424 0009 Email: karen@thecookingcoach.eu Page 71

                              Page 72

          

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BritSoc Activities/

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“Golf to bridge”

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BritSoc Social Activities

OCTOBER

SUNDAY

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07

Expat Fair

MONDAY

TUESDAY

01

02

08

Squash 19.30

09

Squash 19.30

Soft Tennis 16.00 Golf a.m.

14

15

21

22

28

29

Soft Tennis 16.00 Golf a.m.

Soft Tennis 16.00 Golf a.m.

Soft Tennis 16.00 Golf a.m.

16

Squash 19.30

23

Squash 19.30

30

Squash 19.30

CALENDAR WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

03

04

05

06

11

12

13

19

20

26

27

Playgroup 11.00 Badminton 19.00 Bridge Night 19.30 (or Thursday)

10 Playgroup 11.00 Badminton 19.00 Bridge Night 19.30 (or Thursday)

17

18

Playgroup 11.00 Badminton 19.00 Bridge Night 19.30 (or Thursday)

Play Reading 19.30 (3rd Thursday)

24

25

Playgroup 11.00 Badminton 19.00 Bridge Night 19.30 (or Thursday)

31 Playgroup 11.00 Badminton 19.00 Bridge Night 19.30 (or Thursday)

Social Friday / Pub night 21.00 (2nd Friday)

Golf a.m.

Golf a.m.

Golf a.m.

Golf a.m.

Activity Contact Details:

Social Fridays is Tracy Taylor. Email: socialfridays@hotmail.com Soft tennis is Sharron Reed. Email: s.j.reed@xs4all.nl Bridge is Ruth and Art Max. Email: ruthmax84@yahoo.com Squash is Paul Huxley. Email: prhuxley@gmail.com Golf is Liz Wen. Email: britsocgolf@gmail.com

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theatre/ “Darling,

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Sweetie, Darling�

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BritSoc ball/ “The

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e Queen’s Jubilee”

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BritSoc Ball

event/

The History of the Accession and Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II Accession to the throne On the 6th of February 1952 King George VI peacefully passed away in his sleep. His daughter, Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip were, at that moment, at the royal hunting lodge in Kenya, about to start a tour through the Commonwealth. She immediately returned to London upon hearing the news of her father

On the 8th of February, two days after the death of the king, Princess Elizabeth formally proclaimed herself Queen and Head of the Commonwealth and Defender of the Faith. The 150 Lords of the Council, various representatives of the Commonwealth and other dignitaries, witnessed the accession of the Princess. The new monarch read the official Proclamation declaring her reign as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.

Queen Elizabeth II read: “By the sudden death of my dear father I am called to assume the duties and responsibilities of sovereignty.”

“My heart is too full for me to say more

to you today than I shall always work, as my father did throughout his reign, to advance the happiness and prosperity of my peoples, spread as they are all the world over.”

Immediately after the Accession Declaration, the new Queen held her first Privy Council meeting where her Proclamation was signed by the Lord Chancellor, the Prime Minister, and many other Privy Councillors along with representatives of the Commonwealth and the City and the Lord Mayor of London. During these ceremonies the young Queen also took an oath to assure the security of the Church of Scotland and approved several other Orders in Council.

The Coronation

The coronation took place on the 2nd June 1953 more than a year after the accession. It was a grand celebration, and the whole country joined in. The only drawback was the weather as it was pouring with rain, but that didn’t stop the people all over Britain holding parties in the decorated streets of their

Wouter van Alderwegen

Details: Date: Time: Dress:

Britsoc Diamond Jubilee Ball Saturday 8 December 2012 18:30 – 03:00 Dinner Jacket Page 87

The Queen sets foot on British soil for the first time as the new Monarch

One of the many street parties held throughout Britain on coronation day Page 88

towns and cities. For the first time ever, everybody in Britain had the opportunity to watch the coronation as it was televised. Initially there was some debate over this broadcast in both parliament and the cabinet whether it was “right and proper” to televise such a solemn occasion.

One of those opposing the televising was no one less than prime minister Winston Churchill. But the Queen stayed firm and arranged for the televising of the coronation.

She didn’t want anything to stand between her coronation and the people’s right to participate in it.

With an impressive procession, the Queen arrived at Westminster Abbey, where she was confronted with a problem, the carpet wasn’t laid out properly. So the Queen had trouble gliding her robe over the carpet and the metal fringe on her robe actually got stuck, pulling the Queen back. Apparently she turned to the Archbishop of Canterbury saying: “Get me started”.

The ceremony itself took place as it was laid out in the history books. One filled with splendour and full pageantry. After taking the oath and being anointed, St. Edwards crown was placed on her head by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

During the crowning she was holding the sceptre of the dove (symbolizing spiritual authority) in one hand and the sceptre of the Cross (symbolizing temporal power) in the other. The latter contains the famous Cullian I diamond which was cut and shaped by a Dutch diamond cutters firm in Amsterdam.

The Queen moments after receiving St. Edwards crown Page 89

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